The heart should be protected at any cost; without it, a person is nothing. A dog’s heart is very precious and no pet parent would want any harm on their pet’s heart. Therefore, we always ensure our pets get best quality food and lifestyle. Worm infection in dogs is very dangerous, especially heartworms. You can easily cure intestinal worms such as roundworms and hookworms, but heartworm infection is very difficult to treat. Thus, it’s crucial to give heartworm preventives to your dog to protect him from such grievous disease.
Heartworms are present in the heart, lungs and its surrounding blood vessels where they get lodged and start reproducing. This disease can prove to be fatal if no treatment is provided on time. To prevent such deadly disease, Merial introduced Heartgard Plus – A top selling heartworm preventive treatment for dogs. Below is all the information you need to know about Heartgard Plus.
What is Heartgard Plus?
Heartgard Plus is the most recommended heartworm preventative for dogs. It is a monthly treatment that provides complete protection from heartworm infection and maintains your furry pal’s well being. It comes in a form of beef flavored chews, making it highly palatable and easy to administer to dogs. Moreover, the treatment is also effective against intestinal worms such as roundworms and hookworms. You can never go wrong with this product as it is also safe to administer to pregnant, breeding and lactating dogs.
This treatment is safe to use on puppies and dogs of 6 weeks of age and older.
How Does It Work?
Heartgard Plus is formulated with two key components – Ivermectin and Pyrantel. The first ingredient, Ivermectin, aids in treating the immature form of heartworms. Therefore, it prevents heartworm infection in dogs. On other hand, Pyrantel treats and controls intestinal worms such as roundworms and hookworms by attacking its nervous system. Thereafter, it paralyses the parasites and later eliminates them from the dog’s body.
What Are The Benefits Of Heartgard Plus?
- Heartgard Plus is a highly powerful preventive treatment
- Prevents heartworm infection in dogs
- Eliminates hookworms and roundworms
- Readily accepted by dogs
- Monthly oral treatment
Safety and side effects of Heartgard Plus
- The dog should be tested for heartworm infection before commencing the preventive treatment.
- The treatment is not to be administered to puppies less than 6 weeks of age.
- Side effects are rare, though it may include vomiting, diarrhea and drooling, especially when overdosed.
- Administer the treatment monthly and if possible, on the exact same date.
Caution
Collies including Border Collies and other breeds are sensitive to Ivermectin. Please consult your vet before giving this treatment or look for alternatives to Ivermectin for the treatment of parasites.
Alternative to Heartgard Plus
Though this is the perfect preventative, it might be expensive for some pet parents. Thus, for people who also have to take care of their budget, there is one alternative – Nuheart. If you’re not concerned about intestinal worms and want to protect your dog from just heartworms, you can opt for Nuheart. It is a meat flavored tablet that contains same ingredient as Heartgard; Ivermectin, thus it’s equally effective. Nuheart is safe to use on dogs and puppies of 6 weeks of age and above.
It becomes very crucial to take care of such minute things like administering tablets to our pets. This ensures the well being of your beloved pet and keeps him safe from such dreadful diseases.
Read More About- Heartgard Plus Vs Nuheart – Which Treatment To Opt For?